lay down your sweet and weary head
by abbyli
Summary: Elena gets a glimpse into her future and is shocked by who her true soulmate is. tyler/elena a.u.


_**lay down your sweet and weary head**_

* * *

"Can you do it? Can you really send me forward?"

"You won't be really there. You will see images of what is to come if you choose this path," answered the young witch.

Elena gave a weary nod. "All right. I will cooperate."

"Give me your hand," said the witch. She held out one silky hand to which Elena placed her own hand in. "Close your eyes." She obeyed.

And then she was in a whole other world.

**. . .**

She was standing alone in a classroom. About twenty desks were around her in a perfect circle. She stood by the window, her arms folded across her chest.

Elena stared at her image. It was almost like it was being played out on a stage and she was the watcher from the audience.

She remembered this feeling one other time. She had seen her compelled memories being portrayed in front of her by two actors, one that looked a heck of a lot like her and another that looked like a long dead Damon.

That hurt still.

But this wasn't the past. This was the future.

"Are you all right?"

Her head swirled towards the sound of the familiar voice. The other Elena turned too, a smile lighting up her features.

"Yeah, I'm okay," her future self responded with a full warm smile. She held out a hand and another olive skinned hand took it. "I'm just a little afraid, Tyler."

Tyler gave her a reassuring smile. "It will be all right. I can promise you that."

"Since when has anything worked out all right in our life times?" Elena responded.

Tyler chuckled softly. "You've got me there, lovely love." She rolled her eyes and he placed an arm around her waist, gently guiding her from the classroom. "Come on, let's go home."

Mist was started to pool into the room. Present Elena found herself fighting it, wanting to follow her other self and Tyler. But she quickly let herself relax, knowing that she would see them again soon.

**. . .**

And soon, she did.

It had to be later that day because she was still in the same clothes. Tyler was with her, their fingers linked together.

They were at home-it had to be their home. She could see her own touches and Tyler's all over the place. And it was a beautiful place. A home that she had always wanted.

She stood off to the side as her future self walked over to the sofa-big, red, overstuffed-and sat down upon it. Tyler followed her, looping his arms around her and gently pulling her head down to his chest.

"Do you think it's going to happen soon?" she whispered, her cheek resting against his heart.

"I don't know," Tyler whispered back. "Stefan died within the hour."

"Maybe it goes by ages," she murmured. "You're older than I am but you are still a werewolf. I don't-"

"Elena, stop," Tyler gently commanded. "Don't say it because it's still not going to change anything."

"I know," she murmured, tears burning her eyes. She lifted her head up and quickly brushed them away.

"Maybe not."

Both Elenas and Tyler turned, startled.

Esther was in the doorway, a calm and neutral expression on her features. She gave a silent nod.

"You both have done well," the Original witch said solemnly. "You have managed to keep control of who you are and you will be able to go back to your human lives if you wish."

Future Elena pulled herself off of the sofa, her eyes hard. "Why should we believe you? After everything that you have done, why the _hell _should we believe you?!"

"You are still alive, are you not? Tyler's still alive."

"But they aren't! Our families, our friends, they are not alive!" snarled Tyler. He tried to fight his lycanthropy but it was starting to take over. "You managed to kill all of your children and the rest of them but you kept us alive as your playthings. You are a sick individual, you know that?"

Esther just blinked at him. "Very well."

And then Elena hit the floor in convulsions.

"Elena!"

Present Elena could feel the effects happening to her too. Pain and agony rushed through her chest and she began to cough and sputter. She clutched at her chest, more deep coughs ripping at her throat. Blood spattered on her hands and hot tears burned her eyes.

"What's happening?!" she sputtered. More coughs made even more blood come up. "What's happening?!" She felt her knees start to give out on her but that blessed blackness would not take over. She had to see what was going to happen.

"Stop it!" Tyler cried, cradling the still trembling future Elena in his arms. "Leave her alone!"

The pupils in Esther's eyes widened ever so slightly and Elena's body stilled. Present Elena was finally able to catch her breath and she righted herself, watching as Tyler gently shifted her future self over to the sofa.

"What did you do to her?" he demanded, advancing towards the witch.

"Exactly what you bargained for, Mr. Lockwood," said Esther, not even batting an eyelash. "She's human."

The fog took over once again.

**. . .**

"Hey! Wait!" Elena let out a yell of anguish.

The scene shifted once again and came to a standstill. She whirled around wildly, her hair flying like a perfect halo around her head.

She was in a cemetery to which she immediately recognized as _her _cemetery. She saw herself as well as Tyler standing in the midst of the rows and rows of headstones. Some of the names she could make out and some, she couldn't.

She got closer, listening closely and immediately realizing that she didn't have her vampire hearing anymore. And neither did her future self.

Her future self was obviously a few years older, a few grays tinting her long hair that was pulled back into a loose braid and a few laugh lines around her eyes.

Yes, _laugh lines. _

Tyler looked just as handsome as he always did. His inky gloss hair stuck up all over his head and his deep brown eyes were lined with a few of the same laugh lines.

They looked happy.

"Do you think that if we had known then what we know now, they would still be alive?" she hears her later self ask.

Tyler shrugs his built shoulders. "I don't know-maybe? But would we be together now if they were alive?" He then visibly twinges at the words that had just left his mouth. "Elena, I'm-"

She shakes her head. "No, Tyler. You're allowed to say that because it's the truth. And you want to know the answer?" She then turns, looking him right in the eyes. "_Yes._ Yes, we would be together. I think it was always meant to be."

Tyler just smiles, looping an arm around her shoulders. "You're always the optimist, lovely love."

"Mommy! Daddy!"

The Lockwoods turn in time for Tyler to scoop the dark haired little boy up in his arms.

"Hey, buddy," Tyler smiles. "Are you ready to go home?"

"Yes," says Grayson Lockwood with a happy smile. "Let's go home."

Hot tears slide down her cheeks as she watches herself leave the graveyard with her family. Her future family-oh, did she want this so much.

As she watched her later self leave with her family, she notices a name on a grave. Or rather, initials...

_C.F.S. _

_1992-2014_

Caroline Forbes Salvatore.

Right next to that stone is another one, even smaller.

_S.S. _

_1989-2014_

Stefan Salvatore.

Phony birth date (of course).

They were all dead. All of them. These stones were all that was left of the ones that they had loved.

All around, she sees more stones, some marked with full names and some with just initials. She sees Carol Lockwood's and Elizabeth's Forbes and Alaric Saltzman's and...

Just staring at the still retreating backs of her future family, she knows how much she wants this life-human and at peace. And she knows the answer to Tyler's question-

If they had known, would they all still be alive?

Yes, they would be. She would make sure of that.

She also knows one more thing.

"Are you ready to go back now?"

Elena startles slightly before looking back into Bonnie's eyes.

"Yes, I am."

**. . .**

It was time to let go. And it was time to move on.

She pulls her car up the long driveway of the Lockwood mansion, bringing it to a stop in front of the garage. She lightly leaps out and jogs up the front step, coming to a rest at the front door.

Was Tyler going to believe a word that came out of her mouth? Hell, he was a hybrid, he would probably believe anything.

But it sounded so absurd...what the hell was she supposed to say? 'Hey, if we don't get together and save the world, all of those who we love will die the same way that Damon did'?

"Elena?"

She violently jumped, not even realizing that the door had swung wide open without her noticing.

"Hey Tyler," she greeted, pulling a smile onto her face.

"Hey, girl. What are you doing here?"

Huh...she never really noticed how crooked his smile was before. Or how deep of a coffee brown his eyes were...

**. . .**

* * *

**I have been trying to finish this for quite some time and I finally did! Whoo-hoo! **

**I'm so sorry to any Delena shipper who is reading this. I can never get behind Delena and never will. I actually have a hard time getting behind Stelena too. Both are so boring in my opinion. But with Tyler, I can see an opportunity there. And damn, they just look good together. :) And if you want a different triangle with Elena at the center, try Elijah/Elena/Tyler on for size. **

**Well, anyway I hope you liked. Shoot me a review anyway. Thanks guys! Much love and wishes for a safe week. **


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